This invention relates to a contents furnishing system for furnishing contents data, such as music data, over a network, a contents distribution system and to a recording medium.
Recently, on-line distribution of music contents employing a network, such as Internet or cable television, has come to be put to practical application.
If, in this distribution system for music contents, the contents distributors distribute the musical contents over the network, on e.g., the Web, The user exploiting this music distribution system uses his or her own personal computer to access the Web furnished by the contents distributor to download the desired music contents.
Meanwhile, in this music distribution system, the downloaded music contents are made payable over e.g., a network.
However, if once the data in a personal computer owned by a user is destroyed, the music contents, once purchased, are lost. So, for restoring the music contents, the contents need to be purchased again.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a contents furnishing system in which, even if the contents, distributed over a network, are destroyed, the contents data can be restored as the copyright protection is assured.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a contents distribution system in which, even if the contents, distributed over a network, are destroyed, the contents data can be restored as the copyright protection is assured.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a recording medium having stored therein a playback control program, which is capable of restoring contents data even if the contents data, distributed over a network, are destroyed, as the copyright protection is assured.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a contents furnishing system including a contents server for distributing contents data over a network, and a data processor having a reproduction control program for reproducing and/or controlling contents data, in which the data processor stores the contents data distributed from the contents server on a recording medium for reproduction and/or control, and stores backup data of the distributed contents data on a recording medium, the data processor also transmitting the using log information of the contents data to the contents server. The data processor acquires the using log information from the contents server if the contents data cease to be available from the recording medium, while performing reproduction and/or control of the backup data of the contents data stored in the recording medium depending on the using log information.
In this contents furnishing system, the data processor reproduces and/or controls backup restoration data based on the using log information re-acquired from the contents server.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a contents furnishing system including a contents server for distributing contents data over a network, and a data processor having a reproduction control program for reproducing and/or controlling contents data, in which the data processor stores the contents data distributed from the contents server on a recording medium for reproduction and/or control, and transmits the using log information of the contents data to the contents server. The data processor has contents data re-distributed from the contents server, if the contents data cease to be available from the recording medium. The data processor also acquires the using log information from the contents server while performing reproduction and/or control of the re-distributed contents data depending on the using log information.
In this contents furnishing system, the data processor reproduces and/or controls re-distributed contents data based on the using log information re-acquired from the contents server.
In still another aspect, the present invention provides a method for distributing contents between a data processor having a reproduction control program for reproducing and/or controlling contents data and a contents server for distributing the contents data through a network to the data processor, in which the method includes the steps of the contents server distributing contents data to the data processor, the data processor memorizing the contents data distributed from the contents server in a recording medium for reproduction and/or control and also memorizing backup data of the distributed contents data in a recording medium, the data processor transmitting the using log information of the contents data to the contents server, the contents server transmitting the using log information to the data processor if the data processor is unable to acquire the contents data from the recording medium, and the data processor reproducing and/or controlling the backup data of the contents data stored in the recording medium responsive to the using log information.
In this contents distributing method, the data processor reproduces and/or controls backup restoration data based on the using log information re-acquired from the contents server.
In still another aspect, the present invention provides a method for distributing contents between a data processor having a reproduction control program for reproducing and/or controlling contents data and a contents server for distributing the contents data through a network to the data processor, in which the method includes the steps of the contents server distributing contents data to the data processor, the data processor memorizing the contents data distributed from the contents server in a recording medium for reproduction and/or control, the data processor transmitting the using log information of the contents data to the contents server, the contents server re-distributing, if the data processor is unable to acquire the contents data from the recording medium, the contents data that has become unavailable to the data processor and transmitting the using log information to the data processor, and the data processor reproducing and/or controlling the re-distributed contents data in accordance with the using log information.
In this contents distributing method, the data processor reproduces and/or controls re-distributed contents data based on the using log information re-acquired from the contents server.
In still another aspect, the present invention provides a recording medium adapted for being installed in a data processor and having stored therein a reproduction control program for acquiring contents data distributed over a network from a contents server for reproducing and/or controlling the contents data, in which the reproduction control program includes memorizing the contents data distributed from the contents server in a recording medium for reproduction and/or control and memorizing backup data of the distributed contents data, and transmitting the using log information of the contents data to the contents server and acquiring the using log information from the contents server if the contents data cease to be available from the recording medium and reproducing and/or controlling backup data of contents data stored in the recording medium in keeping with the using log information.
In this recording medium, the reproduction control program reproduces and/or controls the restoration backup data for the data processor, having the reproduction control program installed thereon, based on the using log information re-acquired from the contents server.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a recording medium adapted for being installed in a data processor and having stored therein a reproduction control program for acquiring contents data distributed over a network from a contents server for reproducing and/or controlling the contents data, in which the reproduction control program includes memorizing the contents data distributed from the contents server in a recording medium for reproduction and/or control, transmitting the using log information of the contents data to the contents server, having contents data re-distributed from the contents server, if the contents data cease to be available from the recording medium, and acquiring the using log information from the contents server and reproducing and/or controlling the re-distributed contents data in keeping with the using log information.
In this recording medium, the reproduction control program reproduces and/or controls there-distributed contents data for the data processor, having the reproduction control program installed thereon, based on the using log information re-acquired from the contents server.